This article was co-authored by Alexander Peterman. Alexander Peterman is a Private Tutor in Florida. He received his MA in Education from the University of Florida in 2017.

There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

It’s always upsetting to receive a grade that’s lower than what you hoped for, but it’s important to not let it get you down. If you deal with a bad grade in the right way, you can learn from your mistakes to become a better student--and person.

Steps

Part 1

Coming to Terms with Your Bad Grade

1

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Receiving a bad grade isn’t the end of the world. Don’t think one bad grade represents your overall worth as a student. The very fact that you are concerned shows that you are motivated and have high expectations for yourself.

Avoid punishing yourself for receiving a bad grade. Try to learn from your mistakes and strive to do better in the future.

Remember that a “C” is usually considered average, a “B” above average, and an “A” exemplary.[1] Putting it into perspective, maybe your grade isn’t as bad as you thought.

2

Take some time to process your reaction. You may feel anxious, frustrated, or even confused. It’s okay to be upset. Let it out. Suppressing your emotions will only make you feel worse down the line.[2]

Venting to a friend, family member, or classmate can help you cope with the bad grade and move on.

3

Put some distance between you and the grade for a while. Dwelling on it further while in a heightened emotional state will just make the problem seem worse than it is.[3] Try to do something that takes your mind off of it.

Exercising, talking with friends, listening to music, or doing fun things you enjoy are all healthy ways to relieve anxiety.[4]

Part 2

Figuring out What Went Wrong

1

Look for patterns of error. Finding a pattern in your mistakes is a good way to isolate and overcome your problem areas on your own.[5]

Was there a subject, like math or English, that you didn't do well on? If so, study more frequently in those areas.

Was there a group of related test questions you missed? If so, try to categorize them and figure out what subject you could study harder in.

Did you continually show up to class late? If so, try to be more punctual.

2

Ask your teacher for detailed feedback. They know your strengths and weaknesses, so don't be afraid to ask for help.[6]

Instead of asking, “why did I get a bad grade,” ask, “how can I restructure my answers in a way that would earn me a better grade?”[7]

3

Seek advice from classmates. Ask others if they’re willing to share the grade they received. If they all received similar grades, maybe the problem is with the material and not you. If they did better than you, ask them what kind of strategies they think led to higher grades.

Sometimes teachers curve the grades in a class in which many students are struggling. If a lot of students did poorly, a low grade won’t be as detrimental as you thought, and you can rest easier knowing that.[8]

4

Reflect on your study habits. Try to be fair and objective while you self-reflect. Take some time to think about how, and how much, you studied or prepared for the assignment. If you didn’t study or if you procrastinated, this could have contributed to the bad grade. Aim to improve your study habits in the future if this was the case.

Part 3

Planning Effectively for the Future

1

Commit to your goals for improvement. Once you've recognized areas where you need to improve, you can take the steps to do so. Make positive changes in your life where necessary:

Write out a study schedule and follow it routinely. Consider other activities and obligations you have and allow for plenty of time to complete each assignment. A regular schedule can significantly reduce anxiety and improve performance.[9] Just be sure to avoid procrastination.

Get more sleep. The amount of sleep you get heavily affects your mood and ability to absorb and retain information. [10]

Eliminate distractions. Prioritize the things that matter most.

2

Seek extra credit opportunities to make up lost points. Oftentimes, teachers just want to see that you’re willing to put effort into your work. Ask if they’d be willing to let you improve your grade by completing extra assignments.[11] If you can’t change your grade, maybe you can supplement it.

It’s a good idea to calculate your grade and figure out what scores you’ll need on the remaining assignments and exams to achieve the final grade you desire in the course.

3

Be mindful of helpful resources at your disposal. Tutoring centers, teacher office hours, and study groups all exist to help you succeed.[12] Consider restructuring your future study habits by incorporating some of these resources into your routine.

4

Move on. While you may not be able to change the grade you’ve received, you can take the necessary steps to improve. Try to consider it a learning experience. Forgive yourself for your mistakes. One bad grade isn’t going to determine your future, and it isn’t going to define your aptitude as a student either.

Hi there. This may be because the material is getting more difficult, and you may not be studying correctly -- at least not for you. Try speaking with your teacher and reviewing your study habits to see how you can change your approach.

How do I make sure my teacher knows that I am better than this one bad grade?

wikiHow Contributor

Community Answer

Tell and show them. Ask about make-ups or extra credit and study harder for the next exam. Look at where you went wrong to get your bad grade and ask him/her for help in that area. You'll prove that you are better by putting in the hard work.

I always panic during a quiz because I don't know how to do a question what are some ways to fix that?

wikiHow Contributor

Community Answer

Do your best and take your time. Also, skip over the question that is hard and answer the other questions. Then come back to the hard question(s). Don't panic, it's a waste of energy and reveals that you're overly focused on the future rather than being in the present and respecting yourself.

I got a bad grade, it'll come in Friday. Should I tell them now or on Friday when I get it?

wikiHow Contributor

Community Answer

The sooner the better. You get it out of the way and you can get on with studying harder to improve next time. Leaving it will just make you feel more and more anxious and can cause your parents to wonder why you didn't tell them any earlier.

I feel like I've just been doing badly in school lately. Am I becoming dumber or something?

wikiHow Contributor

Community Answer

No, you're not becoming dumber. You may have been slacking off in your studies or losing focus, or perhaps you're pushing yourself too hard and are stressed and overtired. Evaluate what's going on with you and make the necessary changes.

Are you doing the full working out in class or just copying down the teacher's working out or relying on friends? Do you study enough? Don't leave test preparation until the night before an exam or quiz. It's best to start studying for these things at least a week in advance, and for finals, a month in advance.

This girl who is like my enemy got better grades than me in science, music and probably every other subject. I feel jealous of her. What should I do?

PreuxFox

Top Answerer

Think about why you are really jealous. Do the grades matter to you very much? Are your own grades lower than what you wanted? You could work hard to improve your own grades. Or, are your grades fine and hers are just better, and that makes you upset because you don't like her? If that's the case, it might be better to just stop worrying about her grades. Remind yourself that there are reasons you do not like her, and just because she gets better grades doesn't mean she is a better person than you.

I am a straight A student, but I always worry about getting bad grades. What can I do?

wikiHow Contributor

Community Answer

Be more confident in yourself and find out why you worry about bad grades. If the pressure is from parents or teachers having high expectations, you can always turn to friends or siblings who will support you. If you are the sort of person who just has high expectation of yourself, remember that everyone is human and people won't look down on you if you get one bad grade. Relax, have fun sometimes and don't stress about it - grades aren't a measure of your personality or success in life.

Short Video: How to Deal With a Bad Grade

The best way to handle a bad grade is to look for a pattern behind your mistakes, like a certain subject you did poorly on or a style of question you struggled to answer correctly. Ask your teacher for more detailed feedback and ask your classmates for studying strategies that you might be able to try. Write out goals for improvement so you have them in mind, and avoid procrastination and distractions while you study. For more advice, including how to cope with a bad grade, read on!

"I had a below average grade in math. (I've struggled in math since 2nd grade) and lucky my teachers let me take retakes. I started following these instructions and got an above average grade. Thank you so much!"..." more

Rated this article:

TS

Thomas Swanson

Feb 4

"This article mainly helped me by teaching me that I was smarter than one bad grade, and it taught me the importance of studying and working hard so that I do not get a bad grade in the near future."..." more

EG

Emily Gardon

Nov 28, 2018

"I am generally a straight-A student, but today I got a C in technology and it's been affecting me all day. I'm worried about how my mum will react. However, this article helped me feel better, and I'll try to improve."..." more

Rated this article:

EG

Estephanie Gutierrez

Oct 17, 2018

"It helped me by letting me know that it is bad to have a fixed mindset."

OM

Ozia Morris

Jun 30, 2017

"I was terrible at my living environment tests/quizzes. I kept calling myself dumb and stupid. But I while I was looking up how to deal with bad grades, I found this article and read the whole thing. Soon after I started to stay after for extra help which really helped me a lot. And soon enough I started getting grades up to 80's and 90's."..." more

Rated this article:

A

Anonymous

Feb 28, 2017

"Thank you for this article. I'm (usually) a straight A student, but just today I received 53% for my math test, while someone scored 100%. I felt really horrible and demotivated, and I didn't know how to face it. This article helped a lot. Thank you!"..." more

GJ

Gabriella Johnson

Aug 9, 2016

"This article helped me, because it talked about accepting a bad grade. Usually a bad grade for me is a B-. So when I got a D- as a grade for a project, I was crushed. This article reminds me that I am worth more than my grades. "..." more

A

Anonymous

Mar 1, 2017

"I am an AP student, who doesn't get bad grades. I recently got a 94, and found it hard to cope with the pain of getting this grade. This article helped me bring my grades back up to a 98 average, thanks!"..." more

AR

Ali Rahimi

Jul 4, 2017

"I have received not only one but at least three bad grades from university, so I was angry. Although this article hasn't any content I'd not seen before, it helped me to organize myself. Thanks!"..." more

Rated this article:

Aishwarya Kulsreshtha

Aug 5, 2017

"This article is motivating me and showing me the way to my success. I have been touched by the line that says "bad grades can't determine in any other aspect of your personality as a student.""..." more

Rated this article:

CW

C.J. Witt

Dec 16, 2016

"I often struggle in school and at home, so this article was SUPER helpful for me. Although I usually get good grades, I feel as if this article's advice could make them better. Thank you."..." more

SN

Sarah Ncube

Apr 17, 2018

"Thank you so much. This article has totally helped me in dealing with my bad grade I had just last week! Now I know exactly what to do. I will totally spread the word, thank you!"..." more

Rated this article:

WH

William Houser

Nov 16, 2017

"I recently got a bad grade on a test, and I felt really bad since it was in a class I was supposed to excel at. After following these instructions, I felt much better. "..." more

Rated this article:

MV

Melanie Verdi

Sep 11, 2017

"I received a super bad grade on a quiz in my Gifted and Talented English class and was stressing about it for weeks. I finally came to terms after reading this article."..." more

Rated this article:

A

Anonymous

Jan 31, 2017

"Wow, this article helped me realize how I am as a person. I got a 7% on my spelling tests and got in trouble. Liked the pictures in this article. "..." more

Katie Vo

Sep 4, 2017

"I had a C on my test but I felt like it wasn't enough, so I read this article and it helped me get my grades up! Very happy with my grades now."..." more

muji Khan

Aug 24, 2017

"I got a C grade, I was really depressed. I was feeling down, but after reading that, I'm determined more than ever to get an A (and I will!)."..." more

Rated this article:

TS

Terrie Shavas

Dec 15, 2017

"This article brought me back from the brink. It kept me in school. I might've failed and died if not for this article. Thank you, wikiHow."..." more

Rated this article:

SM

Susha Madhu

May 22, 2018

"I figured out my mistakes and took full marks in the next test, and my parents appreciated me. Thank you so much for helping me."..." more

Rated this article:

LG

Lilia Goodstone

Oct 9, 2017

"This article really lifted my spirits and made me realize that my worth and potential wasn't lost in just one examination. "..." more

Rated this article:

MB

Michael Basharin

Dec 29, 2017

"I got a bad grade and my mother told me that I won't get presents for Christmas. This article helped me with it."

Rated this article:

JS

Jay Smith

Nov 14, 2017

"It helped a lot. I got a D on my test and I followed these steps. I felt much better. This site is the best!"

Rated this article:

EB

Elisee Buchanan

Jan 27, 2017

"It made me feel pretty good, I just studied more. My test I took last week brought me from a 72 to a 98!"

ES

Elma Sleedman

Jul 14, 2016

"I found this very helpful, as I was panicking so much about my bad grad. This article helped me a lot!"

SY

S. Y.

Aug 15, 2017

"I got a bad grade on a test and I take it so hard on myself, but this surprisingly calmed me a bit."

Rated this article:

LA

Layla Allam

Nov 21, 2017

"This helped me because I have bad grades and I am trying to improve. Thanks for the help, wikiHow!"

Rated this article:

A

Anonymous

Apr 9, 2017

"My parents get super mad about B's, and this helped a lot. It actually improved my grades."

DC

Dashawn Collins

Apr 18, 2017

"This told me that I can tell my mom that it was just the test that brought my grade down."

A

Andrew

Sep 12, 2016

"It made me less stressed about middle school, since I didn't get a good grade in math. "

MD

Mannan Desai

Sep 18, 2016

"This article helped me, because it made me calm down whenever I get a bad grade. "